Are We Edifying?

Shawn Dean

Weekend Messages

November 25, 2018

The book of James deals with maturity and practical Christian living by faith. Chapter 3 is about maturing our tongues. Have a heart for wisdom. Train your tongue to encourage, edify, challenge in love, debate in love. God wants us to always desire the truth to win over darkness.

Colossians 4:5-6; Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. (NAS)

•Paul is telling us to walk in wisdom - our speech reflects our life - have a healthy fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 28:14; How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

•People watch our lives - they are drawn to our words of hope or despair.

•Parents - how can we miss this - is the power of our tongues used to train up a child or tear down a child?

•Husbands/Wives - Bosses - Employees - what about you?

Proverbs 18:4; The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

Proverbs 10:10; He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be ruined.

Proverbs 13:14; The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death.

B.Be filled with fresh water, not salty

•James warns us about inconsistency of those who don’t care about their lips.

•Perhaps we have to adjust our environment; cursing without conviction, off-color jokes…

We can crucify those habits with the power of the Holy Spirit.

vs 10; from the same mouth come blessing and cursing.

Did your parents ever wash your mouth out with soap?I’ll never forget it.Happened more than once actually.

•Take inventory or your life in this area of blessing or cursing

Philippians 4:8; Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Are you wrestling with these things? Are you meditating on these things?

•Doesn’t inconsistency dishonor God?Doesn’t it lead to sin?

As we begin to wrap this lesson on our conduct, remember this - -

•The old nature will continue to fight and our new nature wants to honor God.

•We have 1 mouth and 1 tongue - Are you yielding to the Spirit, not the flesh.

•Pray God will help you cleanse your heart & tame your tongue.

•Words can be soothing & filled with healing - they can also be biting and hurtful,filled with sarcasm.

C.Apply the life giving Word to your life

Here’s some tools I think James or Paul would give today about our conduct in controlling our tongues

The guideline is the word THINK

•T - is it True?

Ephesians 4:25; Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

•H - is it Helpful?

Psalms 124:8; Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

•I - is it Inspiring?

Proverbs 25:25; Like cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land.

•N - is it Necessary?

Ephesians 4:29; Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

•K - is it Kind?

Ephesians 4:32; Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

•And 12 gracious words that can change your life -

•“Please, thank you, I’m sorry, I love you, I’m praying for you” (12)

•You can prevent verbal forest fires.

That’s what James is speaking about; Let your words be full of grace, seasoned with salt.